Seeing her son so elated, Madam Cui gently nudged Master Cui. “Stop daydreaming. Xian’er is back.”

“He’s back, so what?”

“Seriously, is that any way for a father? Haven’t you noticed something off with our son lately?”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s always spacing out alone, smiling at the flowers in the courtyard. I’d bet eighty percent he’s got someone on his mind.”

Master Cui gasped. “Really?! Go ask him right now!”

Madam Cui shot him a glare. “Now you’re panicking? What were you doing earlier?”

“You’re not worried? Our Xian’er is twenty this year. How many boys his age aren’t married yet? Of course I’m worried!”

“Wait, I’ll go find out.”

Madam Cui was especially delighted to see her son return. He seemed to have had a bit to drink, his face glowing with a rosy flush. She had a young maid bring her a plate of sour jujube and Chinese yam cakes, then carried it over herself.

“Xian’er, you’re back.”

“Mother.”

“I brought you some snacks to help sober up.”

Cui Xian drank some tea and ate a few bites of the pastries before his head finally stopped spinning. He couldn’t hold his liquor well, but Zhou Bao could drink, so he’d accompanied him.

Madam Cui asked softly, “Xian’er, have you found someone special? Tell your mother. Is it a young lady or a young ger? As long as they’re from a respectable family, I’ll go propose marriage tomorrow.”

Cui Xian blushed at the question. “Mother, don’t worry about it yet. I’ve already sent someone to inquire about her brother-in-law today.”

“Oh my! So it’s real then!”

Cui Xian nodded. “But we still need to see what they think.”

“Is it a young ger or a young lady? Mother can help matchmake.”

“It’s a girl.”

“Whose family is she from?”

“Mother, please don’t ask. I don’t even know their intentions yet.”

“Alright, alright. Once you get word, I’ll go propose marriage for you.”

Madam Cui beamed with joy. Her son was finally making progress this year. She couldn’t sit still and wanted to tell Master Cui, but Cui Xian called her back, looking a bit embarrassed. “Mother, Zhou Bao said his brother in arms would definitely agree. Why don’t you start preparing the betrothal gifts?”

Madam Cui was even happier upon hearing this. “Alright! Forget betrothal gifts—I’ll prepare the full dowry for you!”

Overjoyed, Madam Cui sought out Master Cui to announce the imminent happy event. Master Cui promptly summoned the steward, instructing him to begin preparations immediately. They would only need to formally propose once the young lady’s family gave their consent.

The Cui household bustled with one-sided enthusiasm. Cui Xian waited several days without word from Zhou Bao and grew anxious. It wasn’t that Zhou Bao wouldn’t tell him—Wei Qingshan had been away on official business with his men at the magistrate’s office, never at the City Defense Office. Cui Xian simply couldn’t find an opportunity to speak.

Cui Xian finally stopped pressing him, instructing Zhou Bao to remember to mention his request whenever he saw Wei Qingshan. Zhou Bao nodded repeatedly in agreement.

The Cui household was also anxious. The betrothal gifts were all prepared, yet there was no word from the other side. When Madam Cui inquired, Cui Xian explained that his brother-in-law hadn’t been at the City Defense Office lately, so he hadn’t had a chance to ask.

The entire family could only patiently wait together for news from Zhou Bao.

That day, Zhao Yueniang and Xu Nainai came to the market with a basket to buy groceries. Her brother wanted steamed fish, so she and Xu Nainai bought a fresh perch and some tender spinach, planning to make a spinach and tofu soup back home.

As Zhao Yueniang browsed the vegetable stalls, Cui Xian happened to be patrolling this street with nothing else to do. Spotting someone resembling Zhao Yueniang, he hurried over. Worried he might startle her by approaching too abruptly, he stood at a distance, waiting for her to come closer.

Zhao Yueniang finished her shopping and walked back carrying her basket. Spotting Cui Xian standing by the street, she remembered him as the young gentleman who had relayed her message and escorted her home that day. She curtsied and said, “I left in such haste that day without thanking you. Thank you, young gentleman.”

“Not at all, not at all. Commander Wei and I are colleagues.” Cui Xian was so nervous he didn’t know where to put his hands.

Zhao Yueniang thanked him and walked away, chuckling softly to herself. This young gentleman was quite interesting.

Ever since encountering Zhao Yueniang on this street—which happened to be the patrol territory of his company—Cui Xian made a point of visiting daily. Though commanders were not required to patrol the city every day, Cui Xian came daily just to see Zhao Yueniang, leaving his entire company too intimidated to slack off.

It took Cui Xian three days before he encountered Zhao Yueniang again as she went out to buy groceries. He pretended to pass by casually. Zhao Yueniang, feeling awkward about speaking to a stranger, blushed and ignored him.

Zhao Yueniang and Xu Nainai bought fresh chicken and fish daily for the household. They didn’t raise chickens themselves, fearing the noise would disturb her brother’s rest. Besides, shopping at the county seat was convenient—when she needed to stew soup for him, she could simply buy an old hen right on the street.

Cui Xian frequented this street daily, solely to catch a glimpse of Zhao Yueniang. Now he felt no urgency; the young man, newly awakened to love, trod this path each day brimming with anticipation.

Zhao Yueniang gradually began dressing herself up, wearing bright dresses and silk flowers in her hair. Every time she went to the market, she’d run into that young man from the City Defense Office. How could such coincidences keep happening?

One day, Zhao Yueniang bought some loquats for her brother. On the way home, a child playing ran into her basket, spilling the fruit everywhere. As she hurried to gather them, Cui Xian saw and knelt down to help. Both blushed fiercely.

After gathering everything, they stood up. Cui Xian finally gathered his courage and said, “I… I’m Cui Xian. I’m a commander at the City Defense Office.”

At the mention of the surname Cui, Zhao Yueniang’s expression turned cold. “Is your family connected to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in the county seat?”

“That was my father’s establishment.”

Zhao Yueniang snorted and walked away. Cui Xian stood frozen, bewildered by her sudden anger. Seeing her upset, he couldn’t fathom what he’d done wrong. Looking down, he noticed the silk handkerchief she’d dropped when they collided earlier and picked it up.

Cui Xian returned to the City Defense Office in a daze. Just then, Zhou Bao came looking for him. Wei Qingshan had already returned. Zhou Bao had tried to speak on Cui Xian’s behalf today, but to his surprise, Wei Qingshan had flatly refused.

Seeing Cui Xian return, Zhou Bao hurried over. “About that Commander Cui… the matter you entrusted me with the other day… it looks like it won’t work out.”

Cui Xian pressed, “Why not? Didn’t you say Commander Wei would definitely agree?”

“I don’t know. The moment I mentioned your name, Commander Wei said no. He said to find a better candidate and bring it to him.”

Cui Xian grew anxious. “What’s wrong with me? Ask him clearly for me.”

“I don’t know either. Commander Wei said it’s not about how much silver a family has, but whether the family is harmonious.”

After finishing his duties, Cui Xian returned home in a daze. Madam Cui dared not ask, but her heart raced with worry. Just days ago, he’d been so cheerful—what had changed today?

Cui Xian still walked down that street every day, but after two or three days, he never saw Zhao Yueniang again. The handkerchief in his embrace only deepened his sorrow.

Ever since learning Cui Xian was from the Cui family, Zhao Yueniang had grown repulsed by him. She refused to interact with him anymore, even declining to go grocery shopping, choosing instead to stay home with Lin Yu.

While Lin Yu rested at home, Zhao Yueniang sat nearby doing needlework. Busy caring for the two little ones, Lin Yu hadn’t noticed Zhao Yueniang’s change in behavior. Only when Xu Nainai mentioned it did she learn Zhao Yueniang had recently stopped accompanying her to the market.

Lin Yu missed the deeper meaning. After playing with the two little ones, she turned to Zhao Yueniang. “Yueniang, anything going on lately?”

Zhao Yueniang paused, needle in hand. “Nothing.”

“Then why aren’t you going to the market?”

“It’s getting hot. I don’t feel like going.”

Zhao Yueniang brushed it off casually. Seeing she was fine, Lin Yu didn’t think much of it.

Tuan-ger came running in, his hair and forehead glistening with sweat. “Little Daddy, look—flowers~”

Lin Yu smiled as he took the flowers. “Come here. Look at all that sweat. Let Little Daddy wipe your face.”

Lin Yu wrung out a handkerchief and gently wiped Tuan-ger’s little face and hands. The boy obediently tilted his head back, smiling brightly. Once Lin Yu finished, he dashed into the inner room to check on his brothers.

Now both little ones were there—one sleeping, one not. Wanting to play with his brothers, Tuan-ger woke the youngest sleeping one. The baby, not yet a month old, opened his mouth and started crying.

Auntie Wang gasped, scooped up the little one, and began soothing him. Tuan-ger withdrew his hand. “Daddy, my brother is crying.”

“It’s fine. He’s still little. All babies cry. You cried just like that when you were small.” Lin Yu soothed the boy, afraid he might start crying too.

Only then did Tuan-ger return to playing with his other brother. He placed a small flower on the swaddling cloth. “Brother, here’s a flower for you.”

Lin Yu sat nearby watching the three little ones. These two boys were named together by him and Wei Qingshan. Wei Qingshan had suggested one should take Lin Yu’s surname. Both boys were born around this time in the morning—the older one was named Wei Yang, the younger Lin Chao.

The older one, Wei Yang, was a frequent crier with a loud voice, wailing endlessly. The younger, Lin Chao, was much quieter. When Wei Yang’s crying annoyed him, he’d frown and cover his little ears. Lin Yu had witnessed this several times, laughing heartily each time.

During the day, Aunt Wang and the others carried the two little ones to the main hall. At night, they slept in the west wing. Unlike when Tuan-ger was a child, when Lin Yu and Wei Qingshan personally cared for him, as Wei Qingshan put it, the two boys weren’t that delicate. What if they cried at night and disturbed Lin Yu’s sleep? Besides, now that the household had servants, why should his fulang tire himself with such duties?

With the full-month celebration for the two little ones approaching, Lin Yu specifically sent word to He Dongdong, instructing his husband to send a carriage to fetch them when the banquet was nearly ready. Wei Qingshan also invited his colleagues; with the large number of people at the City Defense Office, he estimated they would need seven or eight banquet tables.

Cui Xian had fallen ill after returning home, never having seen Zhao Yueniang again. Though he appeared fair-skinned, he was a military officer with a body of sinewy muscle. This sudden illness proved difficult to shake off.

Madam Cui wept daily, knowing her son’s distress stemmed from a broken heart. “Xian’er, what ails you? Tell your mother which maiden it is. I’ll go beg for you.”